should you take engagement photos?

If you followed me for any length of time or got to this blog post from my home page you’re probably thinking – um, we already know your answer is going to be yes!  You may, however, be surprised as to the reasons!  As a wedding photographer, an engagement session is incredibly important to me. So much so that I include a complementary one with every wedding package I have.

However, those who are not engulfed with the wedding industry on the daily may wonder – are engagement photos necessary? What is the benefit to having an engagement session? Is an engagement session just another way for a photographer to make money?  Here are my top 5 reasons why the answer should always be yes to having an engagement session:

#1 – You’ll have professional photos to use for various purposes throughout your engagement and wedding. Once you receive the images from your engagement session , you’ll be able to use these images in a variety of ways including your save the dates, in slideshows, or printed and displayed at showers and your wedding reception. Photos that reflect you as a couple in a beautifully professional way.

#2 – It’s a chance to reconnect as a couple in the midst of all your wedding planning. Planning a wedding can be stressful. In the midst of everything you’re doing to plan your perfect day, you can forget to take time to focus on each other. Your engagement session is the perfect break from the endless to-dos and decision making giving you an opportunity to just focus on the one you love and remember why you’re doing all of this in the first place.

#3 – This is an important chapter in your story that should be documented. Your engagement – such an important chapter of your life. It signifies the commitment you have to each other and is the beginning of new and exciting time as you’ll be taking on the world together as husband and wife. It’s just as important as your wedding and deserves to be documented as well. For this is the first time you have chosen each other – forever.

#4 – It’s an opportunity to work with your photographer before your wedding day. On your wedding day, your photographer (and videographer) spend more time with you than any other vendor. They are literally with you before the first bit of makeup lands on your cheek and don’t leave until you’re feet stop dancing to that final song of the night. It’s important that you’re comfortable and can be yourself around that person not only for you to have a more enjoyable day, but your comfort level will reflect in your photos to be shared with generations to come – no pressure! An engagement session is the perfect opportunity to work together before the big day. It’s also helpful to be able to see their work with YOU as the subject. Think of it as a little preview of your wedding photos.

#5 – You’re photographer will have a chance to get to know you. Just like it’s important for you to get to know your photographer before the wedding, it’s also important for your photographer to get to know you. As a photographer, your engagement session gives me the opportunity to find out about your favorite things, when you’re most comfortable, features you’d like to emphasize and other details that will make wedding day run smoother and guarantee stunning photos you will love.

Ready to dive in? Here’s what you can expect from your Expressions engagement session: I take special care to craft engagement sessions around each client’s personal interests. Before your session we set up a consultation where I can really get to know you by asking thought provoking questions about your relationship. We then design your session around these answers which creates much more personal and stunning images. To me, an engagement session is not just about capturing two people all dressed up. It’s about showcasing your love for each other and the things that make your relationship special.

Interested in learning more about booking your engagement session and wedding with Expressions? Contact me today for availability.

-xo-

Jamie